Expanded chess and checker board

ABSTRACT

A game board for the playing of checkers, chess and the like has two removable and replaceable central rows of squares. Some of these squares carry different inscriptions forbidding the movement of the pieces thereon under the playing rules. The removable rows may be located upon panels, sheets, films or the like. Their number and location can be varied. Games can be varied to the greatest extent by the use of differently located movement forbidding squares.

United States Patent 1191 Rubinoff 1451 July 23, 1974 [54] EXPANDED CHESS AND CHECKER BOARD 21 Appl. No.: 339,229

[52] US. Cl. 273/131 B, 273/136 GB [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/131, 134, 136, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 325,956 9/1885 Moore 273/136 GA X 647,887 4/1900 Smith.... 273/131 B 1,893,732 1/1933 Cutler 273/136 D 1,955,795 4/1934 Ekbom 273/136 GB 2,211,297 8/1940 Bull 273/131 B X 2,873,976 2/1959 Alatorre 273/137 C 3,163,425 12/1964 Caplan 273/136 GB FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 163,161 5/1921 Great Britain 273 131 B Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichards & Geier [5 7 ABSTRACT A game board for the playing of checkers, chess and the like has two removable and replaceable central rows of squares. Some of these squares carry different inscriptions forbidding the movement of the pieces thereon under the playing rules. The removable rows may be located upon panels, sheets, films or the like. Their number and location can be varied. Games can be varied to the greatest extent by the use of differently located movement forbidding squares.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATEmfuJuLaalsu 1 or 3.825.267 E N WK 35m This invention relates to a chess and checker board.

Games of chess and checkers have been played for centuries on a chess board including 64 squares. While the rules of the games permit a large number of moves by the participants, some players, particularly those who continuously play one against the other, find that their moves are liable to become repetitious.

An object of the present invention is to improve the chess board by providing thereon means changing its appearance and use in a very large number of ways.

Other objects will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the accomplishment of the objectives of the present invention it was found desirable to provide removable and replaceable parts in the chess board. According to a preferred embodiment the removable part of the chess board includes two central rows of squares. However, obviously other removable parts can be used. The removable part may consist of rigid panels or of adjustable parts, such as flexible films or sheets. The panel carries squares constituting a continuation of the squares upon the chess board. However, some of these squares are provided with drawings and/or inscriptions indicating that the players cannot place their pieces thereon. Words such as by-pass, tunnel, no trespassing, etc. can be used. It is apparent that these forbidding squares can be placed in any number and in any location upon the panels.

The players by changing their panels will be able to increase the variety of their games to a very great extent.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example only, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a chess board of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the board along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a different panel.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of the board illustrating the use of a film.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a portion of the board illustrating the use of a folded sheet.

The drawings show a chess board divided into a number of squares and carried by a base 9. However, in accordance with the present invention the board has a recess 11 extending over two central rows of squares.

'In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 two panels l2 and 13 are placed one over the other in the recess. As shown in FIG. 1 the panel 12 on its top surface has two side areas 14 each of which covers two squares which are marked by-pass so that they cannot be used by the players. The bottom surface of the panel 12 will have differently marked squares. The lower panel 13 has differently marked squares on its top and bottom surfaces. By way of example, the panel 15 shown in FIG. 3 hasa central marked area 16 covering four squaresLThe game board may have curved recesses 17 to facilitate removal and exchangeof the panels.

It is apparent that in use the players may play their game, for example, upon the board shown in FIG. 1. Then they may decide to change their game by replacing the panel 12 by the panel 13, for example, or the panel 15. The number of different panels may be varied.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the panels are replaced by a film 18 which slides across the recess 11 upon supports 19. The film carries various representations of forbidden squares. Suitable means (not shown) may be used for moving and winding the film.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 a folded sheet 20 is used instead of panels or films. Each folded side of the sheet has different forbidden squares. When users wish to change the board they merely remove the sheet, fold it differently and then return it into the recess 11.

It is apparent that numerous changes may be made in the above-described embodiments within the scope of the appended claims. Thus the marked squares can be differently located and can be applied to the chess board in a different manner.

I claim: I

1. A chess and checker board having a flat rectangular surface divided by two sets of intersecting lines into a plurality of squares and an edge portion enclosing said surface, said board having a recess extending below said surface and between two opposed edges of said surface, and at least one separate member removably fitting into said recess and having a surface adapted to extend in the same plane as said rectangular surface, and carrying inscriptions different from those upon said rectangular surface.

2. A chess and checker board according to claim 1, wherein said member is a rigid panel.

3.-A chess and checker board according to claim 2, wherein said opposed edges have curved recesses facilitating the insertion and removal of said panel.

4. A chess and checker board according to claim 1,

wherein said member consists of a movable film and supports carrying said film, said inscriptions extending upon the length of said film.

5. A chess and checker board according to claim 1,

wherein said member consists of a folded sheet, said inscriptions being located upon different folds of said sheet. 

1. A chess and checker board having a flat rectangular surface divided by two sets of intersecting lines into a plurality of squares and an edge portion enclosing said surface, said board having a recess extending below said surface and between two opposed edges of said surface, and at least one separate member removably fitting into said recess and having a surface adapted to extend in the same plane as said rectangular surface, and carrying inscriptions different from those upon said rectangular surface.
 2. A chess and checker board according to claim 1, wherein said member is a rigid panel.
 3. A chess and checker board according to claim 2, wherein said opposed edges have curved recesses facilitating the insertion and removal of said panel.
 4. A chess and checker board according to claim 1, wherein said member consists of a movable film and supports carrying said film, said inscriptions extending upon the length of said film.
 5. A chess and checker board according to claim 1, wherein said member consists of a folded sheet, said inscriptions being located upon different folds of said sheet. 